Clasp or fastening device for bracelets



16,1930 J. 'wElsMAN 1,785,059

CLASP DR FASTENING DEVICE FOR BRACELETS Filed Feb. 8. 1929 Patented 16, 1930 U ITEa-ST TEsflJ-PATEmfomce- JULIUS wmsm'u, or rnovrnmvcn, Rnonn rsnn nn, ASSIGNOR 'ro PLAINVILL'E s'roox COMPANY, or PLAIN ILL mnssaonosnrrsjn CORPORATION or mnssacn'osnr'rs oLAsr onrasrnivmo nnvronron nnaonnms ia ncenon aie Fe ruar s, 192 .j seea No. 338,526.

invent-ion relates toan improved clasp 3 or, fastening-device [for wrist-watch bracelets, stra s and bands which is adapted to provide or limited extension of the bracelet or the like .to allow it to pass over thehand without disconnecting its ends;

One object of the inventionis the provision of an improved device-of the typej specified so constructed and arrangedthat the extendible means are concealed from VlQW 1n the normal or closed "relationship ofthe parts. Another object, of the invention is the 'provision ofa n improveddevice of the. type specified wherein theextendible members are securely held against accidental extension when in their foldedrela'tionr.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved iarrangement of the extendible .inembersf whereby they are en' v cased ina slidable receptorand' inserted within an outer housing so that the folding mem: bers are protected from catching on the other parts in" inserting 7 them in or withdrawing them irom the housin 7 Another obj ectof the invention is the pro vision of a device of'th'e type specified which is particularly adapted ,for use with high class articles of jewelry as'presenting a highly ornamental appearance with its mechanical fstructure entirely concealed from view.

: Another obj ectiof the invention is the pro vision of "an improved receptor or keeper for holding the extendible members in folded relationcombined-with means for locking the receptor in retracted position within a hous-1 forthin the following specification which describes a preferred form of'construction of the device as illustrated by the accompany ing drawings; In the drawings:

Fig. I isa view illustrating'a wrist-watch with a bracelet attachedthereto and pro Further objects of the improvement are setfoldable members as wit drawn "from the housing and opened into extended rela tion; s v s Fig.3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional Fig.4 is a transverse sectional view of the line of Fig. 3';

housing and extendible members taken'on Fig. 5 is aside elevational view of'the [housing and extendible members showing the latter-in partially folded osition; and

Fig."6 is a plan view of t 1e housing and extendible members sliowing the latter in fully extended position with a portion of the forward wall of the housing broken away tobetter illustrate its construction.

In the embodiment of the invention: as

herein illustrated 2 designates a conventional form of wrist-watch, to which is attached a flexible band orbracelet comprising opposite len ths or sections 3 and 4 secured to the sides of t e watch inthe usual manner. The ends .I of theband or bracelet sections 3 an'd4 opposite to those attached to the sides of the watch are connected by the improved clasping-device of the present invention which comprises a housing 6, a receptoror lgeeper 7, and a pair of foldable connecting-members Sand 9.

V Referring more particularlyto the construction and arrangement of the elements forming the extendiblemeans and the'man- V ner of securing the same to the ends of the bracelet section's, 11 designates a pivot pin which maybe mounted in oppositely positioned ears 12 carried by the housing-memberfi, The end of the bracelet section 3 is secured to one end of the housing by the pivot pinf'll and the end of the other section 4 is similarly connected to one end of the folding connecting member 9 by a pivot pin 1 L The housing-member 6 comprises a longitudinally curved orrarcuately shaped casing which is substantially rectangular in cross section. The housing 6 is preferably provided with a front wall '15 having its outer face embossed, engraved] or otherwise embellished withamonogram' or ornamental design to enhance the appearance of the finished article. The "housing'fi is formed with parallelside walls 16 having rearward,

inturned guide-flanges 18 located in substantial parallelism with and uniformly spaced from the forward wall 15.

The housing 6 is rovided with an open end 20 for receiving t e receptor or keeper 7 which is in the form of a shallow tray adapted to slide into the housin The receptor 7 has alongitudinally curve rearward wall 21 forming the bottom of the tray and side-walls 22 of sufiicient depth to substantially fill the space between the guide-flanges 18 and the forward wall 15 of the housing, thus providing for free sliding movement of the rece tor within the housing withoutsuch undue ree-- dom of movement as will permit undesirable looseness of the parts. v

The receptor 7 is also rovided with an end-wall 24 which extends e 0nd its sides to form detent ears 25 adapte to engage the inturned edges 26 of the side-walls 16 of the housing 6 to prevent complete removal of the receptor from the housing, see Fig. 6 of the drawin s.

The oldable connecting-members 8 and 9 may be formed of longitudinally curved sheet-metal strips or lates, and their adjacent ends are hinge ly connected together by a pintle 28 to permit them to ivot freely.

relatively of each other andto be olded closely together. The connecting-member 8 is hinged to the free end of the receptor 7 by a pintle 29 in such manner as to permit it to pivot freely on the receptor and to be folded into close relation with the bottom-wall 21 thereof between the side-walls 22.

The connecting-member 9 is provided with a resilient detent-latch or catch 30 which is cut away from the stock and bent up to provide a curved abutment 31 and a rolled endpiece, 32. The abutment 31 of the latch 30 is adapted to snap into position behind a lip33 bent down from the front-wall 15 of the housin 6 when the parts are slid into telescoped relationship; the rolled end-piece 32 projects ing outwardly from the open end of the housing in convenient position to be pressed down by the fin er to release the latch.

When it is esired to lace the bracelet upon the wrist the exten ible members are opened out as shown in Fig. 2 to permit the insertion of the hand through the bracelet without disconnecting its ends. The connectingmembers 8 and 9 are then turned about their pivots to fold them upon each other and to enter them into the receptor or keeper 7 in such manner that the uppermost connectingmember 9 lies below the side-walls 22 thereof with both members protected from catching as the keeper is slid into the housing 6.

After the connecting-members 8 and 9 have been folded into position within the receptor or keeper 7 the latter is slid into its retractedv position within the housing 6. During this sliding movement the receptor is guided by the ears 25 engaging the side-walls 16. of the housing and its own side-walls 22 engaging the inturned flanges 18 and the forward-wall 15 of the housing, respectively, to insure free movement of the receptor relative to the housing without such undue play of the telescoping parts as might lead'to distortion or bending of the members through careless operation on the part of the wearer.

When the keeper 7 and the foldable connecting-members carried thereby are fully inserted within the housing 6 the resilient latch 30 carried by the connecting-member 9 engages with the detent lip 33 formed upon the inner surface of theforward-wall of the housingto retain the parts in retracted position within thehousing' and prevent their accidental separation therefrom. The parts then occupy the position shown'in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings.

When it is desired to remove the bracelet from the wrist, pressure is exerted upon'the exposed end-portion 32 of the latch 30 to release the latter from the detent lip 33, and the keeper may then be readily withdrawn from the housing and thec'onnecting-members unfolded therefrom into fully extended position as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

It will be observed from the foregoing that the invention provides a novel form of fastening or claspmg means for use with wrist-watch bracelets, ornamental bands, straps and other articles of the type described. The bracelet or similar article maybe extended for insertion oflthe hand of the wearer and then contracted to fit the wrist in such a manner as to conceal from view all mechanical structure and leave exposed only the ornamental housing, the aspect of which is in' harmony with and enhances rather than detracts from the general appearance of the article. V

The improved device not onl provides a more compact and ornametal orm of fastenin -means for articles of this character than has been heretofore employed, but entirely obviates the danger of loss of the watch by the folding members becoming accidentally entangled in the clothing or striking against some object in such a manner as to cause them to open and release the bracelet.

\Vhile I have shown and described my improvement as applied to a conventional type of wrist-watch bracelet, it is to be understood that the extendible members and their enclos inlgl means are adapted for use with various ot er types of straps, bands or bracelets. Therefore, without limiting myself to the precise form of construction herein shown and described, I claim:

1. In a fastening-device of the character described, a housing provided with an open. end, a channel-shaped receptor in the form of a tray slidable within and held against separation from said housing, hinged connecting-members attached to said receptor and foldable therewithin between the sides receptor and foldable connecting-members thereof to maintain them in alinement, and telescoped within said housing. I means for normally retaining the receptor In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my and connecting-members telescoped within signature. 5 the housing. JULIUS WEISMAN. 7o

2. In a fastening-device of the character described, a longitudinally curved housingmember provided with a front wall and sidewalls having inturned rearward flanges extending in substantial arallelism with the 7 front wall, a channel-s aped receptor slidable within the housing and held against separation therefrom, foldable connecting-members hingedly connected to each other and to I y said receptor to adapt them to be nested V 90 therein and held in alinement by the sides thereof to provide for their easy entrance into the housing, and means for locking said receptor and folding-members in retracted position within the housing. 85-

' 3. A fastening-device of the character described comprising a housing having an opening in its end, a channel-shaped traylike receptor mounted for slidable movement within the housing, means on said housing for 9o engaging the end of the receptor in the extended position of the parts to prevent separation thereof, foldable connecting-members hingedly jointed to said receptor and-foldable therewithin between the sides thereof to' e p 95 maintain them in alinement whereby said receptor and connecting-members may be telescoped within the housing, and means for releasably securing said receptor and connecting-members in their retracted position 100 within the housing.

4. In a fastening-device of the character described, inner and outer telescoping members, said inner telescoping member being I 40 channel-shaped and provided with opposite- 105 ly-po'sitioned side-walls adapted to engage oppositelypositioned parts of said outer member to, guide said inner member in its movement into and out of said outer member,

and foldable connecting-members hingedly 110 connected to said inner member and foldable thereinto between the side-walls thereof to maintain them in alinement for movement with said inner member into and out of said outer member. 11

5. Ina fastening-device of the character described, the combination of telescoping members comprising a housing provided. with a front-wall, side-walls and rearward flanges extending inwardly from the side-walls and uniformly spaced from the front-wall, a receptor provided upon one side with a channelshaped recess, connecting-members hinged 6a to the receptor to adapt them to be folded 0 within its recess between the side-walls there- L5 of to maintain them in alinement, said receptor and foldable connecting-members being'adapted to slide within the housing-memca her, and meansfor releasably, securing said 

